Shepparton’s tenure as host of the renowned Victoria Open will come to an end in 2022 after Bowls Victoria confirmed the event would move in 2023.
Hosted at Shepparton Park Bowls Club every year since club members Jeff Boyle, Frank Watson, David Hardie and John Wallace founded the event in 2011, the news comes as a major blow to the Goulburn Valley bowls community which has always come out in large numbers to support the event.
This year’s event, set to be held from November 18–25, will bring close to 3000 domestic and international bowlers to the region for eight days of intense action in four disciplines, including singles, pairs, triples and mixed pairs.
Bowls Victoria communications and marketing manager Melanie Allen confirmed the news that the association’s premier event would be on the move in 2023.
“After a two-year COVID-enforced break, Bowls Victoria is excited to be bringing the Vic Open back in 2022, albeit for the final time in Greater Shepparton,” Allen said.
“Although we are sad to be saying goodbye, this year marks the final year of our contract with the Greater Shepparton City Council to host the Vic Open in the Shepparton region, and we must now look forward to growing the event even further in future years in a new location.”
She took the chance to thank the Goulburn Valley community for its assistance in the 11 years it has hosted the event.
“Bowls Victoria wishes to express our sincere thanks to all the clubs and volunteers right across Greater Shepparton for their assistance over the past 10 years in making the Vic Open what it has become,” she said.
“We will be working hard to ensure this year’s event is a great success for the Shepparton region.”
Losing a major boost to its visitor economy, Greater Shepparton City Council manager of economic development Anthony Nicolaci said he hoped this year’s event wouldn’t be the last we see of the Victoria Open in the region.
“Greater Shepparton has been a proud host of the Victorian Open for more than a decade, working collaboratively with Bowls Victoria and the Greater Shepparton bowls community to innovate and grow the event to become one of the premier events for bowls, not only in Victoria, but Australia,” Nicolaci said.
“Council has a very strong relationship with Bowls Victoria and looks forward to discussing the Victorian Open and other opportunities to continue its partnership on achieving mutually beneficial outcomes for the bowls community and Greater Shepparton’s visitor economy”
While Bowls Victoria said it would not be announcing a new host for the open until April, a social media post by Shepparton Park Bowls Club last week may have revealed where the esteemed event will be heading in 2023.
“Sadly, this will be the last Vic. Open to be held in Shepparton,” the post read.
“We have had an excellent relationship with Bowls Victoria with the running of this event over the last 11 years. It has been a huge amount of hard work for us all, but the rewards were good. We sincerely thank all our volunteers during this time.
“The event will be conducted in Gippsland following this year’s Shepparton open.”